His build earned him a nickname and a signature song, "Mr. Five by Five" ("he's five feet tall and he's five feet wide"). His best known recordings are probably those of "Going to Chicago" with Basie and "Harvard Blues" with the famous saxophone solo by Don Byas. George Frazier, author of "Harvard Blues", called Rushing's distinctive voice, "a magnificent gargle".
He died of leukemia in 1972 in New York City.
My Bucket's Got a Hole in It
Jimmy Rushing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yea! My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
Yea! My Bucket's Got A ] Hole In It
It don't work no more.
Well I'm standin' on a [G] corner - With a bucket in my [D] hand
I'm waitin' for a [A7] woman - That ain't got no [D] man.
'Cause My Bucket's Got A [G] Hole In It
Yea! My Bucket's Got A [D] Hole In It
Yea! My Bucket's Got A [A7] Hole In It
I can't buy no [D] beer.
Well, I went upon the [G] mountain - I looked down in the [D] sea
I seen the crabs and the [A7] fishes - Doin' the be-bop-[D] bee.
2ND CHORUS
Well, there ain't no [G] use - of me workin' so [D] hard
When I got a [A7] woman - in the boss man's [D] yard.
2ND CHORUS
Extra verse.
Well, me and my baby - we just bought a Ford
And now we sit together - on the running board.
1ST CHORUS
The lyrics to Jimmy Rushing's "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It" describe a man with a broken bucket that cannot hold any beer. He's standing on a street corner waiting for a woman who doesn't have a man, and he can't buy any beer because his bucket has a hole. Rushing then describes how he went up to a mountain, saw the sea, and watched the crabs and fish "doin' the be-bop-bee." He also talks about how he has a woman in his boss' yard and there's no use working hard when he has her. There's an extra verse where Rushing and his lover buy a Ford and now sit together on the running board.
The chorus where Rushing repeats "Yea! My Bucket's Got A Hole In It" is a metaphor for his life. The broken bucket symbolizes the person's struggles and hardships that prevent them from enjoying life. Rushing's inability to buy beer represents his financial difficulties or any other pressing issues he's facing. The metaphorical bucket only emphasizes his hopelessness and inability to fix his present condition.
Line by Line Meaning
Yea! My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
My bucket is damaged
Yea! My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
My bucket is still damaged
Yea! My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
My bucket is still damaged
It don't work no more.
It is no longer functional.
Well I'm standin' on a [G] corner - With a bucket in my [D] hand
I am standing on a street corner with a bucket in my hand.
I'm waitin' for a [A7] woman - That ain't got no [D] man.
I am waiting for a single woman.
'Cause My Bucket's Got A [G] Hole In It
I cannot buy beer because of the hole in my bucket.
Yea! My Bucket's Got A [D] Hole In It
My bucket still has a hole in it.
Yea! My Bucket's Got A [A7] Hole In It
My bucket still has a hole in it.
I can't buy no [D] beer.
I cannot purchase any beer.
Well, I went upon the [G] mountain - I looked down in the [D] sea
I went up to a mountain and looked down to see the sea.
I seen the crabs and the [A7] fishes - Doin' the be-bop-[D] bee.
I saw the crabs and fishes dancing to the music.
Well, there ain't no [G] use - of me workin' so [D] hard
There is no point in me working so hard.
When I got a [A7] woman - in the boss man's [D] yard.
There is no point in working when I have a woman waiting for me in my boss's yard.
'Cause My Bucket's Got A [G] Hole In It
I still cannot buy any beer due to the hole in my bucket.
Yea! My Bucket's Got A [D] Hole In It
My bucket is still unusable.
Yea! My Bucket's Got A [A7] Hole In It
My bucket is still unusable.
Extra verse.
An additional verse follows.
Well, me and my baby - we just bought a Ford
My significant other and I recently purchased a Ford vehicle.
And now we sit together - on the running board.
We like to sit together on the car's running board.
1ST CHORUS
The chorus repeats.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CLARENCE WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind